Octopaths Isekai: Path of the Disciple
by GunslingerShota
Summary: When a young man's world meets a 'flashy' end, fate mercifully tosses him into the world of Octopath Traveler where he begins a new life with a clan of martial artists. Joining the characters of the game, he can only wonder, how much impact can a reborn gamer have on the eight paths to travel? Which one will lead him to his own path as the ninth traveler? OC self-insert fic.
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE: WORLD OF LIGHT**

Sitting in a table in a Minuti coffee shop, a young man typed away at his Kindle.

_Man, I know being a writer of fiction isn't easy, but damn, I haven't published a thing, yet._

For the past hour, he had been editing a short story on his kindle.

_So much editing to be done before I can make a killing in a sci-fi/fantasy magazine._

He was gifted with a wonderful imagination. Ever since he was little he liked to daydream and fantasize about being his own fan character in his favorite fictional stories, from his first movie, The Land Before Time to Star Wars. When the new millennium showed up and Anime became more welcome in the west, he finally found his calling. Thanks to the Toonami block on Cartoon Network his imagination exploded and he began writing stories of his own.

For the past seven months, he had been learning from an author's club how to write with elegance and immersive quality. But for an aspiring author editing one's story to make it publish-worthy takes an age.

_Such a shame, learning how to translate imagination to text takes so long, another shame that the brain needs rest as much as the body._

He saved his document then shut down his Kindle. Digging into his backpack he pulled out a gift from last Christmas; a Nintendo Switch with red and blue button and thumbstick pads on both sides.

_Imagination needs to fuel too._

He booted up the title screen and smiled when he saw the logo: Octopath Traveler. Then the main theme music played.

_Thanks a lot for this great game Leon, my man.' Damn this is one of my favorite Asian RPGs next to the Tales series, only more replayable. Good music to greet me with too._

Indeed, Octopath Traveler was one of the most unique RPGs he had ever seen.

The young man had played his share of western RPGs such as the Witcher, Baldur's Gate and the Elder Scroll's Oblivion and Skyrim, the latter two which captured the essence of adventure, but he liked eastern RPGs equally. What Asian RPGs lacked in free reign, grit and non-linear progression of their western counterparts, they made up for in colorful storytelling and equally colorful characters.

The problem with Asian RPGs was that they took the game mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons a bit too literal and the worlds felt more like playroom mats with cardboard cutout creatures. If Asian dev teams took more inspiration from the west, they'd be able to bring both sides of the same coin together.

But with Octopath Traveler, it was a step close to splitting the difference between both worlds. What made the game stand out the most was that the game was a sprite based RPG contrasted by a three dimensional, low fantasy world grounded closer to real life situations. But the most important aspect was that the character's personal fetch quests were not simple side quests to go out of your way with - they were the main quests, and they tied into the main plot to boot.

_Gotta stretch my legs while I'm hyped._

He got up from his chair, stuffed his Kindle into his backpack, then looped it's straps over his shoulder. He took his backpack and Nintendo Switch and walked out of Minuti.

_Wouldn't want my pacing to bother people._

Walking along the side walk he pressed buttons and opened up the main menu.

_Well it's my second play through. _

He then found himself at the character select screen and began hovering over the map and the character roster. '

_Who shall I play as this time, not Cyrus, already played Cyrus. How about H'aanit, Tressa, Olberic, Therion, Alfyn, Ophelia, or maybe . . . Oh yes Primrose, smoking hot Primrose, hottest game waifu to come out last year._

"Hey, look, up in the sky."

"What is that?"

_Sounds like a line I heard in Halo 3. _

"Ooomph." The young upcoming author looked up to see he had bumped into an African American man. "Sorry about that dude, wasn't looking."

"You obviously haven't seen it," said the black dude.

"Seen what?"

"That," he pointed up to the center of the sky. The clouds were parting revealing a large ray of light. "Still feel like playing your game, boy?"

"I suppose yes."

"Hey, why is the sun still in the middle of the sky, it's supposed to be dusk?" an old lady asked.

"Hell if I know," a man fished sunglasses from his business suit. "I've been an astrophysicist with NASA for ten years. Its like the sun just popped up in the middle of the sky when it's supposed to be dusk? This has to be some kind of phenomenon."

"What, kind of phenomenon?" the old lady asked.

"If I hadn't hit the books hard enough I'd say our orbit has stopped or a new sun has been birthed."

The young man with the Nintendo Switch looked around and saw a crowd gathering out in the parking lot with their phones out recording the spectacle on video.

_As popular as this place is getting I don't want to get boxed in._

As he walked away from the gathering crowd, he noticed the light in the sky getting brighter and brighter as the clouds opened, then he saw it.

_What the hell is that? It's bright like the sun, but it's not as bright, nor would Kenobi agree that it 's a moon. It looks like an artificial sun that just popped into existence._

CRASHx34, BANGx32, HONKx20, AWOWx900.

The young man looked at the scene at the adjacent road leading to the intersection.

_Wow, just like in the Independence Day movie with those city-blasting alien saucers, all those cars crashing just so the drivers can oogle the space ships._

Indeed the road leading to the intersection had become a long chain of fender benders. People were scrambling out of their cars, and other shops just to gaze at the gargantuan, shining orb in the sky. In the distance he saw a mile long chain of fender benders along the highway.

_Like moths and flies to a bug-grilling, street lamp, good thing I'm more like a mantis. I don't follow the swarm. Still, whatever that thing in the sky is, it can't be natural, and I'm not even a space scientist._

"You see people, the time of revelation is upon us." Skyler looked to see a Caucasian man in a white suit and black, bow tie

_Just what I need, a holy roller ranting his ass off._

"The Lord has graced us with his presence. His rays shine upon us, blessing us with salvation and eternal happiness. All true believers who see the light will be raised high into the sky and see the gates of heaven open wide."

As the preacher blasted his rant, a crowd numbering more than two dozen people gathered behind him.

_Screw that, more like a wannabe televangelist ranting his ass off for a big pocket donation. I doubt he even read the first page of Genesis. Not that I'm a bible humper either._

Super Smash Bros: Ultimate - "Lifelight" (Rock Cover) | AmaLee Ver

watch?v=ZcGDRjJEzak

Then, waves of energy formed around the giant light bulb and began to convulse like a heartbeat. The surface of the sphere also began to ripple out like a puddle vibrating to the ominous stomping of a T-Rex.

_Somehow I know that can't be good. That light looks like an unstable nuclear reactor, and it's reaching critical mass. I think I'd better take shelter. If only there was a fallout shelter around. _

The young man broke into a sprint towards the nearby mall.

_Hope the light plays by physic's rules and can't get in. Or better yet, they also have a lockdown shelter like in Dead Rising 2, somewhere in there._

As he dashed past two cars that had stopped in the middle of the parking lot, he took a backwards glance.

BAWOOOM, all audience members present were treated to the mother of all fireworks spectacles.

"Wow, that's cool," said a Hispanic, teenage boy.

"That thing popped like a giant firecracker," agreed his buddy.

"Yea, the Fourth of July has got nothing on this."

_That doesn't look like a nova either. Maybe I was getting worked up over nothing-huh?_

The comet tails sprouting out of the shining mass formed into luminescent tendrils and rained from the sky like missiles.

"See, the lord has opened the gates to heaven. Have faith and all true believers shall be welcomed in heaven's embra-!" SHAWOOOM.

Faster than an eye blink, a light missile engulfed the preacher and his fledgeling followers. When it passed, all that remained was his memory.

More light missiles rained down on the earth at insane speed, each swallowing people like rats in a boa's gullet. Everyone they touched dissolved into nothingness.

"It's Armageddon!" a hysterical man yelled.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH !"

"RUN LIKE HELL! "

The whole shopping district erupted into a cacophony of screams and shouts. People began to panic and ran in any direction they could comprehend to salvation from the deadly light. Others more delusional like the butt kissers of the white preacher stayed where they were, like good, Christian sheep awaiting their promised salvation through photonic, slaughter.

_Worst end to a dull day._

Skyler ran as fast as he could to the mall holding his Switch in his arm tightly. As he ran, a blast of a tempest blew in his face as a tendril hit a person right next to him.

Fuck, that was almost me.

Then he looked left saw a mother with a toddler engulfed by the shining missiles.

Oh, he'll no, not them too, fuck, fuck.

The mall was only twenty steps away.

If I get in there, I'll be home free. But damn, all these people rushing past me.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah," a hysterical blonde screaming like silly barreled into him. The young man tumbled to the ground.

"Oww!" Fucking bitch you just killed me!

"Aaaaaaah, daddy help-! " SHAWOOOM

_Always a bigger bitch, you dumb Hollywood bimbo. Enjoy seeing the biggest spotlight._

He didn't have time to relish the idiot blonde's flashy comeuppance.

_Gotta go now._

He busted the mall doors open and ran inside.

_Yessss, safe! Just need to get a little cozy in-oh . . ._

"Nooo-! SHAWOOOM

"Help meeee-! SHEEWOOOM

Aaaaaa-! SEEEEEOOOM

"Nooo, please God, no!" SHAWOOOM

_Your kidding, even in here? No, not in here too._

His earlier hypothesis was wrong, dead wrong, the light missiles did not play by the laws of physics. Solid obstructions like walls, meant nothing to it. Even in the tightly sealed metal hallways and courts he could hear the echoes of the souls of the departing.

_It's a mausoleum without bodies. I'm no safer indoors, this thing . . . It's impossible. _

Instinctively he looked back at the mall door.

_Ooooh snaaaap!_

A tentacle beam was coming right at him, too fast and too inescapable.

SHAWOOOM.

Luminescence lit up his vision even through his shut eyes.

"Aaarrgh! Huh, what?" _Why am I still thinking, I should be dead? Hey, why is it red and blue out there._

He opened his eyes, wider than intended.

"Yow, what the!" He recoiled his pinkies off the Switch, but it floated in midair.

_What, my Switch, it's blocking the light like a shield? And I raised it to protect my eyes. _

Then he looked all around him, he was encased and protected by a bubble-like force field, and it was coming from his Nintendo Switch!

_No way, this isn't possible. How can a game console do this, magic? _

He noticed that the light missile that had struck him attached to the shield like a suction cup.

"Well, looks your radioactive tubes can't touch me-uh, wh-wha, whoooooaaaah."

He felt himself along with his protective energy shield yanked into the air and pulled out of the mall, traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5.

He recoiled and looked down below. He could see the mall, he could see his house, He could see the entire town down there getting smaller and smaller, and worse.

_Those photon missiles they're zapping the whole town like the Macross Missile version of Darkseid's Omega beams, and by some one in a million miracle, I'm still alive, but that's not even a relief. Now I know how an animal feels when it's abducted from its home._

The bleak sight of the earth's photonic apocalypse was blocked by a cottony mass as he rose into the atmosphere.

"Aarrgh!" The sun blasted his face with UV, forcing his eyes shut.

_Damn, I was more comfortable in the clouds, now I could get the worse sunburn. If only that was the worst thing to happen today. What is this light bulb thing, and what does it want with us? I know it doesn't have anything to do with the Book of Revelation._

The brightness lighting up his vision darkened and Skyler was relieved to open them.

_Wow, I'm in space and I can see the stars. I'm the first non-astronaut in space. Huh, what the? He'll no. It's taking everybody, the whole world._

It was a horrifying sight. He saw that his town wasn't the only place getting 'beamed' out of existence the light missiles were striking all over the earth. Then they coalsced into giant tentacles, sucking all life from the surface like an industrial vacuum.

_Those shiny balls, are they . . . ?_

Glowing orbs, presumably the life force of the people were flowing through the tentacles like bubbles in a fish tank's cleaner straight towards the gargantuan globe. As he got closer his inner geek clashed with his terror.

_This thing, it's huge, probably bigger than both Death Stars combined._

The gargantuan, glowing globe was indeed as big as it was incomprehensible. Now that he was close to it, He could see it in full detail.

_Wow it's like a giant Dyson Sphere wrapped in some kind of membrane with a hexagon pattern. And what's the source of the light? Looks like the 'core'. Is this really an unfinished story by H. ? And how is my Nintendo Switch protecting me, all it's supposed to do is games and electronic mojo?_

He saw the life orbs flowing through the tentacles heading into the gargantuan globe through orifices, like red blood cells to a beating heart.

_Those orbs that used to be people . . . Are we being assimilated, like the flood do to their victims from Halo . . . more like computer data in a living mainframe. No, don't tell me, it's gonna . . . eat me, What's it gonna do with the 'data' when it digests it and everything that made me who I am.? Oh god._

The huge Dyson Sphere grew bigger and bigger as he was brought closer. Up close a large hatch door opened and Skylar was pulled inside with the rest of the life orbs.

_This sphere reminds me of the Imperial Tibanna gas facility above Destrillion in Rogue Squadron 3, where you first meet the TIE Hunters. But there's no indication of machinery or high tech. Who or what is behind all this?_

As he was pulled inside he saw what resembled a hive made from a macabre, coral reef. Spikes, and polyps decorating its appearance.

_So this thing it's definitely not an artificial sun, it's some kind of alien dreadnought, or super dreadnought. What the hell is behind all this?_

He floated through the entrance to coral, along with the other souls harvested by the light tubes. The passages in the reef-like structure were appropriately alien. It was decorated like a Lovecraftian Cathedral in worship of alien gods. As he went deeper he saw the life orbs were being loaded onto racks.

_Just like in the freaking Matrix, whatever controls this thing, it's definitely harvesting us, but for what, science, or soul smoothies?_

His protective bubble came to a stop and got loaded onto the rack gazed at a podium high above. On it was something that resembled a control hub in an alien space ship bridge. A large object suddenly moved, flashing lights in his face.

Damn, I've had it with bright lights, uhhh, ohhh. "Aaaaaaaagh!"

There it was. Hovering above him was a grotesque, monstrosity only Lovecraft himself could comprehend. It's body was black as toxic muck, it's pupil-less eyes glowed neon green, and they blasted a psychic aura of pressurized terror as it floated towards him.

_(Gasp) What the hell is that thing, the result of a love affair between Cthulhu and a Tentacruel. Am I going crazy, tell me this all just stress or writer's block taking its toll. Somebody just wake me up from this fugging nightmare!_

The cephalopodic abomination probed his shield like an octopus looking for the bottle cap to get to the fish inside.

He could only watch in terror as the Eldritch creature tapped its tentacles against the shield experimentally, to no avail. After a few more taps it gently laid the tip of one of its tentacles on the force field, and then, the tentacle slid through the shield like a threading needle.

_"Oh, no, Oh no." Holtzman shield physics! Tell me it didn't learn this trick from Patrick Steward-when he was Captain of the freakin Enterprise!_

The Eldritch being, followed suite with several more tentacles, slowly tapping the shield and threading inside.

"No, no , no, no, Aaaaaaaaaarrrgh!"

The tentacle wrapped around hiss legs and waist.

"Urrrrrrghh, unnnnggh!"

As it tightened it's grip he felt a sensation like a boa constrictor studded with a thousand hypodermic needles stabbing his skin, It hurt like hell.

_What's that green glowing stuff spreading through my arteries, some kind of venom? But it's like phenol, its making me glow like a neon sign, no my whole body is glowing. I can't feel my legs! Wait, is it . . . gonna do what it did with everyone else? No, no way. I can't let it . . ._

His eyes darted towards his Switch.

_My Switch, it, it protected me somehow, maybe it can also . . . Gotta touch, a button or something, my body is feeling like it's full of lead._

With his body weakening from the venom, he reached for his Switch, "Ok, here we go!"

He pushed the A Button.

_My Switch is . . ._ His Switch lit up in a flash red and blue and every sentient form of him was consumed.

The stunned Eldritch being let go of the captive, life form, recoiled it's tentacles out of the shield. What had happened to this specimen, what had the device protecting it done? Suddenly it noticed that its tentacles it had probed inside the shield to tranquilize the specimen had the same red and blue aura illuminating the shield and it was spreading through the tentacle. It was like its own venom was backfiring on it. The energy the specimen seemed to have converted to, had become an infection.

The energy spread through its whole body. The Eldritch being watched in a shocked trance as the strange infection traveled all the way to its main body and it glowed with red and blue on each side, along with a feeling it had never felt before throughout its 'tour' of the universe.

This euphoric sensation it felt from the energy, it couldn't describe it, couldn't handle it, it felt so high, so alive. This specimen was a remarkable discovery, its unique essence, its being, its-passionate thought process. There were endless possibilities. Floating back to its control hub it inserted its tentacles into a port in the central processing unit. The dueling energy of yin and yang, colors dispersed throughout the ship filling trillions upon trillions of life orbs with the unique specimen's essence.

* * *

KABLAAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

On that day, the entire galaxy bore witness to an explosion that illuminated a large swath of it. When the light faded all that was left was dust and echoes of life faded that had into oblivion. At the epicenter of where the explosion had occurred, a red and blue comet hurling past the stars towards uncertain destination.

**Thank you for reading ladies and gents this is my fourth fanfic that I've posted on this site. Unlike most Isekai fics where the character dies and reincarnates or gets digitized, ala Tron into their fave fictional verse, I prefer something grittier and a more believable way to get to said verse, without the possibility of denial. In the digitized case someone pulls the plug, or in the reincarnation case, trolled as a dying fantasy. So I hired a reject, Eldritch abomination/OP'd alien to bring my self-insert to the world of Octopath Traveler. If anyone thinks I should do some tweaking, namely less exposition on what said alien did before popping his own ship is more, (insert voice of Red Guy from Cow and Chicken) JUST SAY SO IN THE REVIEW SECTION!**


	2. Chapter 1 Starry Wings above Orsterra

**Here it is at last folks, the officially first chapter to Octopaths Isekai. Sorry I've been slacking off due to several other preoccupations in my life such as rough sketching a cover for my yet to be published first book and roughdrafting other non-fanfic stories yet to publish later for my author career** **along with some procrastination. As for my first two fanfics Dov Viing Bo and Dream Zeon, I decided to put them on hiatus and in the meantime get some more exposure and inspiration before continuing them. **

**Disclaimers note: Octopath Traveler is property of Square Enix and Nintendo. If I owned it. The game would be not just 20% cooler, but emotionally touching on the level of a Tales of Series game by Namco.**

**Enjoy**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Starry Wings above Orsterra**

Twilight blanketed the sky as another day concluded in the land of Orsterra. People from all corners of life prepared for their usual sleeping hours, looking forward to a brand new day. But tonight was going to be very memorable.

All across Orsterra, the entire land bore witness to a comet streaking across the sky, blaring shades of red and blue like an ambulance light.

Eight particular individuals admired its glowing luminescence.

**Rippletide**

Along a lovely moonlit beach, a couple strolled across the sand hand-in-hand with their four-year-old daughter between. The mustached father smiled down at the brown-haired girl.

"Mommy daddy, I like the beach. Can we stay here?" Chirped the little girl excitedly.

"Yes we certainly can. "Your mother and I always wanted to live by the sea." Said the father. "That rare jewel you found on this beach was so shiny that passing nobleman couldn't take his eyes off. He bought it for 2500."

"Wow daddy, that's a lot."

"With that money we can open up a shop here. We're so proud of you Tressa." Said the mother.

"Hey look up there, another jewel." The mother and father gazed skyward and saw said "jewel" glitering as it trailed a rift in the sky.

"We should get that jewel and sell it too. We'll be rich!"

"I wish we could sweetie, but it's way too high. Only the gods themselves could sell it." Said the mother

"Aww," the daughter groaned. "Why do the people in the sky get the best stuff?"

"Because only they can afford it. Even if we had it, I doubt all the money in our world couldt buy something that valuable."

**Atlasdam**

"Won't you look at that," a blonde woman in her twenties gazed through a telescope.

"Look at what?" asked a dark-haired teenage boy.

The woman moved out of the way, permitting the young man a look.

"My that is astounding, a falling star with blue and red flames. And it's dropping altitude.

" Where's it headed? " the woman asked.

"Heading north, to the mountain between Flamesgrace and S'warkii."

The boy's eyes "That's where . . ."

**Hornburg**

"Hah, hah hiyah!" A burly man in armor took practice swings with his sword till he noticed a light from above. "By the gods? What is that?"

**Bolderfall**

A bedraggled child strolled through an alleyway, smugly toting a wallet. "Heh, heh, that security guard thought I was just a wimpy kid he could push around. Oh if I could see the look on his face when he catches on that his wallet is . . . Huh? This light, where is-?" He gazed up at the sky. "Wow. That's the prettiest jewel I've ever seen. If only I could reach up and grab it."

**S'warkii village**

Inside a log cabin, a brunette with braided hair looked out of a window from her bedroom, "What prettieth star. I wondereth what omen it bringeth?"

**Clearbrook**

Two boys were attaching a wooden spider to a window.

"Hurry up with the glue Zeph. That mean general store owner who sells at ridiculous prices will make this town a different offer when he opens his window blinds. " The brown-haired boy said as he dipped a paintbrush into a bucket.

"I'm hurrying Alfyn, I'm hurrying," said Zeph as he brushed glue onto the glass.

"Huh, what's that? " Zeph pointed skyward.

"What's what? Oh. A shooting star?"

"Looks pretty neat." Said Zeph

Before the boys could take a further gander, a blast of orange emitted from the window.

"Uh oh, he's up!" Exclaimed Zeph.

"Let's get outta here! Grab everything."

Snatching the wooden spider and bucket with brushes, the boys fled the potential wrath of their prank victim.

**Flamesgrace**

"May the sacred flame guide us."

"And may it ever shine its warmth upon us."

Two blonde girls in a cathedral had just finished their prayers.

"Goodnight, Ophilia."

"Night, Lianna."

Before they could get in bed, the first girl noticed something outside the bedroom window.

"Ophilia, look. The window. You see that?"

She rushed to the window. The second girl followed behind

"See what?" Ophilia asked peering through the glass.

"Up there." Lianna pointed up in the sky.

"Is that the light of Aelfric? " Ophilia asked.

"I have faith it is." Said her sister

**Noblecourt**

At a garden outside an ornate mansion, one soul was in no hurry for shut-eye. A girl wearing a smile and fancy red gown danced like she was on top of the world. She leaped horizonally in a grand jete then followed up twirling several pirouettes.

"Ah, such a lovely ballerina you are."

"Whuh-whoah," the girl stumbled and clattered on the floor-her joyful bliss obliterated.

"Father."

A blonde man in a fancy maroon tunic and black pants emerged into the garden. "Dear me, I'm sorry, are you hurt dear?"

"Just my pride father."

"Thank the gods that is all that is hurt tonight. I'd catch nary a wink at night of you hurt more than that, after all a young lady needs her rest." The father picked his daughter by her left hand and gently raised her to her feet. "Now come along dear, off to bed." The nobleman led his daughter through the manor hallways.

The girl however sported an objective frown, "Father," the girl pouted. "Do I really need sleep, that was my best dance ever."

"You'll dance far better than that, provided you sleep well, and be glad you fell."

"Father why should I be glad I fell? Dancers don't fall."

"They do fall like everyone else."

The Father opened the door to his daughter's bed.

"When I took fencing lessons at your age I posessed poor footwork and met defeat on the ground more than my instructor's blade. But with each loss my skills improved as will you the more you practice. Because when we fall we learn to pick ourselves up. Understand?"

His daughter's frown faded, "I think I understand father."

Suddenly a blue and red flash lit up the bedchamber.

"Father look," she pointed.

"By Aelfric, a shooting star," the nobleman said.

"It's red and blue father, I've never seen one like that."

"A rare star indeed. Perhaps the gods see fit granting you a wish."

"A wish father? What kind of wish?"

"The kind which your heart desires the most dear-something all the world's wealth cannot buy."

The girl closed her eyes in thought for several moments. She thought of the fairy tales her mother read to her then took a deep breath. "I wish I to share my dance with most handsome boy in the world."

"A most wonderful wish indeed. With your dancing and charm, that wish will certainly come true. That is the day you will meet your true love."

"True love?"

"Yes my dear, the man you are destined for. The one who will love you forever.

"Uh, father," the girl blushed. "I don't think I'm ready for boys yet, but how will I know he's really is the one?"

"When you meet him, your heart will tell you, just like mine when I gazed upon your mother for the first time. Now, bedtime sweetie. You dare not resemble a racoon tomorrow, would you?" The nobleman playfully swirled his fingers around his daughters eyes.

"I'm not a raccoon, I'm a dancer," she pouted.

Oh, ho, ho, of course you are. And remember the best dancers are well rested, goodnight."

"Goodnight father,"

The father kissed his daughter and exited her bedroom. When the door closed. The lord strode towards his study. Planting in a chair facing a desk, he picked a feather and ink bottle. He dipped the feather's pointy end and scribbled on a parchment. "Dear diary . . . Tonight me and my daughter witnessed a rare phenomenon. I wager you and your friend in Atlasdam are watching it with rapt attention Odette. I told my daughter it was a wishing star and she wished to one day meet her Prince Charming. I wonder what you'd say of this as well if you were with us, my dear Dahlia."

* * *

Nestled between the town of Flamesgrace and the village of S'warkii lay a mountain range stretching from the Coastland sea. The mountain range was known as Reqing's Finger, the name of a deity foreign to Orsterra. But their was more to it. For any brave adventurer possesed of perserverance revealed a monastery straight out of a Wuxia film.

Inside a dimly lit hallway, ink illustrations depicted men and women in combat employing various martial arts styles. A rack stood next to a doorway gripping a variety of weapons. Chinese Dao Swords, Glaives, Nunchakus, Katars and so on. Through the doorway the silence was broken by kiai grunts echoing through the temple.

The sound lead to a dojo where two children wearing button up kung fu vests and loose pants sparred with wooden weapons.

"Hyah," a wooden Dao sword swung down.

"Hai, Hah," an eight-year old girl blocked the strike with her wooden Jian straight sword and unleashed a staccato of thrusts .

"Whoah," a boy near her age ducked, missed by the width of his spiky, red hair.

"Hyah, hyee, hah," the girl's odango hair bobbled like yarn balls as she thrust her pole at her nimble male opponent.

"Hah, gotcha!" The boy parried the next thrust and grabbed her wood sword. Spinning around to the girl's back, he grabbed her sword arm, positioned it over his shoulder and yanked it. Her Jian pole clattered to the ground, her muscles reflexively forced to release.

"Two can play at that game, Yung-Cho," the girl caught his sword arm by the wrist. She spun like a ballet dancer and twisted his wrist. The boy's dao fell to ground.

"I make it so Ju-Li, " the boy Yung-Cho let out a flurry of snap kicks.

"Nice footwork, but eew, you need clean up your act. It stinks like your feet.

"Watch your hair yarn-ball head. Kitties will avoid you like the plague." Yung-Cho grinned mockingly.

An artery swelled on Ju-Li's head. She struck at his shoulder. Yung-Cho's right arm hung limply, it's movement sluggish.

Ju-li giggled, "Bad arm day?"

"Grrr, lucky hit," Yung-Cho swung a roundhouse then a flurry of side-kicks.

"Another lucky hit, coming up-Ow," Ju-Li winced, flailing her sore fist.

"Yea, lucky, you got me in the knee," Yung-Cho grinned holding his right knee aloft. He kicked his left out, then his right. "You got a fist made of glass and a 'shoe-in' yours 'Shoe-Li?" Yung-Cho kept up his offense a flurry of crescent kicks. "If my footwork doesn't knock you out, my smelly soles will."

"Eew, you boys are gross!" Ju-Li got grazed by his slipper. "So gross," she grabbed his left foot mid-thrust, "I'm tossing you out like trash." Sweeping her left leg, she knocked Yung-Cho off his other foot.

"Oww," an embarrassed Yung-Cho was left rubbing his injured gluteus and pride.

Ju-Li made a sly cat grin, "Round one to me."

"Think you're so smart, huh?" growled Yung-Cho.

"You lying butt-first in the ground, seems that way enough."

"Good, cause you know this trash is taking you out," Yung-Cho launched an aggressive volley of punches and kicks at Ju-Li.

Ju-Li pocked his left leg and spun several feet away, "You fight like a rabid kitten, claws are mean but your aim is so tame."

"Jokes on you," Yung-Cho held his left arm extended and the right shielding his torso, both fingers curled like claws. "This tiger cub's already got rabies." He launched a barrage of palm punches and swipes, "Hwah, hwah, haaarrgh, hah!"

Ju-Li intercepted his last punch and squeezed tightly, "What's the matter, cat got your fist-whoah?!" She felt Yung-Cho's left hand grip her forehead, her legs gave way and, thud. "Oww."

"Heh, floor bang your tushie?"

Ju-Li picked herself up stroking her sore rump, What in Reqing's name?"

Yung-Cho smirked raising his right knee to chest level, "You were saying, that my aim was tame?"

"Did you just . . . ?"

"Sweep the leg, oldest trick in the book."

"Not fair, cheater," pouted Ju-Li.

"Read the scrolls, yarn ball head. Sweep the leg is basic and fair."

"Hrrrrmph," she grumbled, forgetting to open her mouth for air to escape.

Yung-Cho chuckled at her indignation, "Look in a mirror, you look like your related to a puffer fish."

"Time to regret those words Yung-Cho, one punch at a time." She charged at Yung-Cho in a flying sidekick, but Yung-Cho stepped out of the way. Ju-Li landed with cat-like grace. "Aha," in the corner of her left eye, she spotted her Jian. "Let's see you get your kicks now."

"Wrong it's not my feet you should worry about," Ju-Li saw him with his wooden Dao retrieved.

"Well then, prepare to be a pin cushion."

"Prepare to be sushi by my Dao."

Re-armed and full of steam the two youngsters charged.

"Haaaaarrrgh!"

"Waaaarrrrgh! "

"Matte (halt)!"

Both boy and girl stopped in their tracks.

A man in his late twenties to early thirties applauded as he strode out of the shadows, "Excellent form, both of you, Yung-Cho, Ju-Li, you show much promise."

The once raging children, bowed in fresh respect, "Thank you fath-errrgh, Shen-wu shifu. So who won?" asked the hopeful Ju-Li.

"I won, I sent you slamming on the floor." boasted Yung-Cho.

"Forgetting I knocked you down first," countered Ju-Li.

"Children, calm down. The truth is, neither of you won. In fact you both lost-to your anger," said Shen-wu.

"WHAT," both children yelled.

"A calm, collected mind is the key to victory. The moment you lose your calm, you lose the battle, like you did now."

"What, impossible sifu. Us both losing, their can only a winner and a loser, not both," protested Yung-Cho.

"Your opinion may vary, but who won this sparring match is a trivial concern. Take what pride you've earned today as victory and move forward. Your respective defeats are lessons for the future."

"I see the future already sifu. Papa is scared Ju-Lulu gonna get a boo boo, cause I see alot."

"Careful with that jaw of yours Cho-cho. You'll find it hanging at your belly"

"Why don't we find out Ju-Lulu, prepare to beg daddy to save you next time, " Yung-Cho assumed his tiger, king fu stance.

Ju-Li formed a snake stance "Funny, you're about to find out how much help you need-."

"Enough squabbling, both of you. Keep up your constant trifles and you will exchange injuries even an apothecary can't nurse. Now go to your rooms and rest for the night."

Both children sighed, "Yes sifu." The two children grudgingly strolled out of the dojo through two different rooms eyes narrowed anticipating their future rematch.

"Which is tougher?" Shen-Wu jumped and whipped around. A pony-tailed brunette woman close to his age, sashayed into the room, her casually outstretched arms looped around a red glaive hefted on her back. "Being a sifu or being a father while your wife is busy training the other students?"

"Ohh, Seng-Mi. What you think of our student's performance?" Shen-Wu blushed in surprise at his wife's sudden presence.

"Not bad, that Yung-Cho has foo but I was about to ask something similar of you?" Seng-Mi leaned into Shen-Wu's reddening face. " You forgot one basic lesson."

"What lesson?" Shen-Wu asked defenseless against his wife's gaze.

"Always mind your surroundings. You didn't notice me watching our little Ju-Li's sparring match with Yung-Cho."

Shen-Wu sighed. "I truly flunked that."

Seng-Mi giggled. "Must be why I beat you in the finals in the graduation tournament. And you were on such a winning streak." Seng-Mi mumbled as thopugh she was addressing a year-old toddler.

"You are a prodigious fighter dear, I can't deny that but there was that particular student in our class who failed the mantra exams and has to retake them within four years."

"What the? I,uh? You mean . . . eh?" Seng-Mi stuttered in bewilderment. Then she groaned with realization' the failed student her husband mentioned was her.

"He, he, you should look in a mirror. Judging by those swollen cheeks, I now see where our daughter got her "puffer fish face."

"Why you-how dare you remind me." Seng-Mi raised her arms like a tiger and was about to pounce when-

BAWOOOONG! A thick-low bass ringing echoed through the hall ways of the temple.

"The gong!" Exclaimed Seng-Mi.

"Something urgent is afoot." said Shen-Wu. "Hurry to the courtyard."

Seng-Mi and Shen-Wu rushed through the hallways outside the temple till they reached a courtyard. A large crowd of other martial artists were gathered there. The crowd babbled on wondering what was so urgent at this time when a male disciple pointed in the sky.

Azurik Rise of Perathia Soundtrack - Fire Realm Battle

watch?v=KLfgQGPjK_Y

"Look, up there."

"What is that?" Asked another disciple.

In the sky, a streaking light ripped through the atmosphere. It emanated a stark bright spectrum visible for miles.

Shen-Wu gasped, "By the gods, it's a falling star."

"And it's coming our direction." Added Seng-Mi.

As the comet drew closer to the mountain a high-pitched scream battered the crowds eardrums as it slashed through the atmospheric barrier. The gathered spectators watched like hypnotized reindeer as it drew closer. When it arced directly over the mountain they all observed that the comet was dual colored. Then the comet split in half, both colored lights soaring their separate ways. The blue half of the comet blazed an indigo trail far to the north. But most of the crowd was fixated on the crimson half. It plummeted down to the northern base of the mountain and a large flash emitted followed by a thunderous boom. After an eternal pause, the silence returned and abrubtly broke.

"The falling star, it divided."

The disciples exploded into cacophonous murmurs of speculation.

"One was blue."

"And the other red."

"Just like the the sacred messenger birds."

"The blue star is headed for Northreach. "

"And the red star landed at the north of Reqing's Finger. Our mountain range!"

"Make way. " A louder voice announced the disciples into silence.

The disciples instantly hushed and turned to the main temple. Into the courtyard sauntered four monks in robes. Following behind was an elderly yet dignified man in a red kimono depicting a symbol of a flaming Phoenix rocketing downward.

"The Grand Master approaches. Clear the courtyard."

Obediently the disciples parted allowing the old man and his entourage passage.

The Grand Master stepped onto the top and spread his arms out in a dramatic flick.

"When the first humans were created, the two brothers Xueke the teacher and Reqing the expressor bestowed their gifts of the esoteric combat arts upon us through their sacred messenger hawks Chi Ying and Bing Ying. For centuries our ancestors traveled the world spreading the Esoteric Combat Arts to all deemed worthy in this plane of existence. Now, for the first time in many moons their sacred hawks deliver us new sign: one for each of our schools. The Freezing Hawk School has recieved Xueke's message, now we the Blazing Eagle school shall recieve Reqing's."

At the northern area of Reqing's Finger a crater large as a football field formed a cavity on the natural landscape. Within the crater glowed a shiny crimson orb. Within its luminous sphere was a small figure in a fetal position as if ready to be born. It raised its head and flicked its eyes open.

* * *

**I finally posted it-the first chapter folks. So much is going on in my life including COVID-19 and all that. It takes a lot of focus for this. But I promise I will write on and work to overcome writer's block. R&R everybody!**

**Notes on Chinese Terminology used here.**

**Sifu: Chinese equivalent of a Japanese Sensei**

**Reqing: Enthusiasm. Fitting for a passionate Kung-Fu God**

**Xueke:Subject; Discipline; Branch of Learning. Also fitting as the Blue Oni to Reqing's Red Oni.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


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